Caveman Politics [Paperback]

Jay Atkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2002

A rugby novel and a thriller, Caveman Politics is a tragicomic look at the lowdown politics of a small Florida town. Joe Dolan is a reporter who plays rugby in his spare time, and hangs out with the strangest athletes ever to grace the pages of a novel. When their black teammate is accused of raping a white woman, all hell breaks loose. The D.A. is out for his head, and Joe and a few rugby players set out on a quest to exonerate him. Along the way they encounter an Elvis impersonator who may truly be the King himself, and a life insurance salesman with a death wish. The first novel from Jay Atkinson, whose Ice Time has enjoyed great success.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the Rodney King beating to the predominance of black inmates on death row, the disparity in the United States between the justice meted out to whites and that dealt to minorities has become headline news. It's also the subject of Jay Atkinson's first novel, Caveman Politics. Atkinson's protagonist, journalist Joe Dolan, plays on the same rugby team as Mike Melendez, a Trinidadian art student. When Mike is accused of raping a white woman, Joe realizes that his teammate's color causes others to presume his guilt. Joe teams up with a black lawyer named Aloysius Timmons to investigate Mike's case. As the title suggests, Joe encounters plenty of unenlightened attitudes along the way, but he meets some complex characters as well, including an African American detective well versed in the writings of Marcus Aurelius and a man battling mental illness. Caveman Politics is more than just a murder mystery; it is an examination of the unspoken assumptions we all have about ourselves, others, and the way the world should be. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

This rewarding first novel is the story of a reluctant hero who may have taken longer than most to grow up but is finally getting there. Reporter Joe Dodge spends his free time playing rugby, boozing with teammates, and pursuing women. "Not giving a shit is my biggest asset," he jokes (but it isn't a joke). When a black teammate, Mike Melendez, is charged with raping a white woman, no one much cares. The police and public are content to let him rot in prison. Though Joe hasn't been friendly with Mike off the playing field, he sets out to help him. Other plot lines weave around this central core, e.g., Joe's growth as a reporter and his discovery of a performer who not only looks and sounds like Elvis but believes he is Elvis. All in all, Atkinson has written a jauntily unpretentious, solidly plotted book that displays good insights into character. Joe is a hero you can care about, and he is surrounded by a cast of often zany but always interesting characters. Highly recommended.?David Keymer, California State Univ., Stanislaus
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Breakaway Books (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891369334
• ISBN-13: 978-1891369339
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,635,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jay Atkinson is a novelist, short story writer, essayist, critic, investigative journalist, and itinerant amateur athlete from Methuen, Mass. He is the author of two novels, a story collection, and three narrative nonfiction books, with a fourth, MEMOIRS OF A RUGBY-PLAYING MAN, forthcoming from St. Martin's Press. Atkinson's latest books are PARADISE ROAD: JACK KEROUAC'S LOST HIGHWAY (Wiley & Sons) and TAUVERNIER STREET (Livingston Press, University of West Alabama). His book, ICE TIME (Crown Publishers), was a Publisher's Weekly book of the year in 2001, and LEGENDS OF WINTER HILL (Crown Publishers) was on the Boston Globe bestseller list for seven consecutive weeks in 2005. Atkinson has written for the New York Times, Men's Health, Boston Globe, New York Post, and many other publications. A former two-sport college athlete at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, Atkinson has competed in rugby for three decades and continues to play in exotic locales with the Vandals Rugby Club out of Los Angeles, California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing writer., November 11, 2009

By 

James Blanken "Damien Jaymz" (Ipswich, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Caveman Politics (Paperback)

I have read the first few chapters of this book. Just like his other books they take a little bit to get into but after that you are completely taken in. If you haven't read Legends of Winter Hill, GET IT!!!!!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars A wild ride, December 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Caveman Politics (Paperback)

This book has it all -- down and dirty lowlife scum (and that's just the rugby players) and a fast-paced plot with all sorts of brutality, intrigue, love, sex, Elvis, you name it. Carl Hiassen and James Hall are the big-name Florida thriller writers -- and Caveman Politics is in that league.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun, Welcome Surprise, December 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Caveman Politics: A novel (Hardcover)

I picked-up this book nearly two years ago at a book fair and forgot about it. I found it in my cellar last week, and finally got around to reading it. Had I known how well written it was, I would have treated it more carefully....

As a former journalist, and someone who has played a little rugby, this novel sprang to life for me. As soon as I put it down, I logged on to see if J. Atkinson has had anything else published. I hope we won't have to wait too long for his next work.